'D' doesn't stand for 'dismal' now

By ART THIEL, P-I COLUMNIST

Published 10:00 pm, Sunday, November 12, 2006

Remember how relentlessly, inexplicably mediocre the Seahawks defense had become?

Let's refresh the recollection: the 17 previous quarters before the Monday night game against the Raiders, they had given up 18 touchdowns. That was a pace for land loss that outstripped the Ottoman Empire during World War I.

Against a St. Louis offense that typically can score three touchdowns between "Oh, say can ... " and " ... rockets' red glare," the Seahawks denied the Rams' offense the end zone for 57 minutes.

In a rivalry game decided in the rivalry's traditional way -- a last-moments Josh Brown field goal -- it was barely enough. But the significant part about the 24-22 triumph that went a long way toward locking up the NFC West division was that the defense offered a probability that it can carry the team while the offense breaks into another case of duct tape.

Pleased as he was, defensive end Grant Wistrom made the point that the defense has to get to higher ground.

"This was huge," he said, "but if we want to get deep in the playoffs, we gotta do better than that."

Given the recent travail, holding the Rams to 299 yards of total offense -- and no pass play longer than 22 yards -- cannot be minimized. But Wistrom's point is well-taken: This group still isn't where it was last year.

But it's on a steep uptick from when the Bears (37 points), Vikings (31), Chiefs (35) and even the Rams earlier in St. Louis (28) flicked them like lint.

"I don't care if you bring back the same 53 guys from a year ago, each team each season is different, and chemistry takes time," said Wistrom, who was in on five tackles and a sack, after nearly half a season as a ghost. "Right now guys are playing harder, with more passion, and trusting each other."

Just in time, apparently. In terms of personnel, the Seahawks offense is a mess. Sunday they were without the regulars at quarterback, running back, center, right tackle and slot receiver. For another game, coach Mike Holmgren downshifted the offense to more runs than passes. For the second consecutive week, Wallace threw no interceptions.

Also for the second consecutive week, the Seahawks defense kept the replacement acrobats from having to edge out on the tightrope.

"The Rams are scary good," said Holmgren, "I have tremendous respect for those guys. Our defense played a very fine football game, because (the Rams) moved the ball on us.

"If you can keep that offense to field goals, you have a shot."

In fairness, the defense was helped by major brain-cramping on the part of Rams rookie head coach Scott Linehan. Particularly crucial was the decision early in the fourth quarter while leading 16-14 to skip a chance at a field goal in favor of taking a shot at fourth-and-1 from the Seahawks 12-yard line.

Compounding the mess-up, the Rams chose for the big play to go to neither elite running back Steven Jackson nor the fearsome receiving crew. Instead, quarterback Marc Bulger missed badly on a throw into the end zone to sub-immortal tight end Joe Klopfenstein.

Linehan afterward said someone blew a route. Seahawks defensive end Bryce Fisher had another view.

Nor did it hurt the Seahawks' chances when Rams All-Pro left tackle Orlando Pace was lost for the season in the second quarter with a torn triceps. The Seahawks came into the game ranked 30th in red zone defense, but St. Louis was held in four trips to one touchdown and two field goals.

The results also marked, if not a breakthrough, at least progress for the secondary, the defense's most maligned unit. Bulger was sacked four times, due mostly to pass coverage that forced the quarterback to hang on too long to the ball. The Seahawks' 34 sacks lead the league.

"Our secondary's been talked bad about," said Fisher, "but they're a talented group that stepped up today."

Fisher said the recovery in the past two games has been attributable largely to a negotiated release of aggressive play calls between coaches and players.

"We're taking our shots now, not sitting back and waiting for something to happen," he said. "It's mostly a front-seven thing. Earlier in the season, we were too worried about being in the right place, and we were missing tackles.

"We're doing it right, now."

At some point the missing pieces will return to the offense, and the pressure on the defense will ease. But following a shutout of the feeble Raiders offense with a tidy 15 against the formidable Rams suggests that the rehabbers need not bolt from hospital gurneys.

Even though it is popular to talk of the creamy smoothness of the remaining Seahawks schedule, the cavalcade of recent upsets around the NFL underscores the bromide of assuming nothing.

But it is possible to at least suggest the defense is finally upright, taking solid food and perhaps in a mood to annoy.